A new cure for playground loneliness is making its rounds at Livingston County elementary schools.

They're called "buddy benches." The idea is that children who feel lonely during recess sit on the bench — as a nonverbal communication — and other youngsters who see them will ask them to play, said Holly Carter, of Boxing Autism of Livingston County.

"We want to help kids be happier, more comfortable and at ease during the school day," the executive director said.

The nonprofit, dedicated to supporting those with autism spectrum disorder and their families, recently secured funding to have the benches installed in all county elementary schools.

"You really need a village to raise a child," Carter said. "This needs to be a community effort."

The buddy bench concept was popularized in 2013 by second-grade Pennsylvania student Christian Buck. The boy pitched the idea to Roundtown Elementary after researching schools in Germany when his father was in discussions with his employer about possibly moving internationally, according to buddybench.org.

Pinckney-area resident Andi Bissett saw the viral story last year and approached son Logan Bissett's special education teacher Kelli Colliton about the possibility of installing them at Country Elementary. Logan has Asberger's Syndrome.

"Luckily my son wants to be social and is very capable of physical activity," Bissett said. "But I also know a lot of people whose kids aren't seeking out those friendships."

At Country Elementary, the buddy benches are paired with the school's LINK peer-to-peer mentoring program in providing support for youngsters with autism spectrum disorders — or other differences in abilities. The club matches up youngsters with with a peer mentor that supports them during recess.

"Many of them don't know how to play," Colliton said of children with autism spectrum disorder. "I've really seen some true friendships form from the club."

Country Elementary's buddy bench — though it wasn't spearheaded by the nonprofit — models what Boxing Autism hopes to implement in all of Livingston County's primary schools, Carter said.

The nonprofit is in the process of approaching school building administrators about installing benches — or revamping structures already in place — to comply with their standards.

It's important the purpose and expectations of the buddy bench are made clear to students, so their purpose doesn't "fall to the wayside," Carter said. For this reason, partner schools will be required to host an assembly to do so.

"We want to be sure it's not a place where just anybody sits on the playground," she said. "We don't want the benches to become a place to store equipment, like basketballs."

Costs, which may include the bench, paint, a plaque and labor, will be covered by the nonprofit. The inaugural Laine Royer Memorial Golf Outing raised about $4,000 for the buddy bench effort in August. The late young woman was a caregiver for a child with autism.

The nonprofit's first buddy bench partner school will be Village Elementary in Hartland Township.

Interested school administrators can contact Holly Carter at 810-348-7926 or at holly@workforautism.com. Visit http://www.workforautism.com for more information.